Books, Brochures, and Chapters>Book:  Boswell , James (1786), Boswell's Life of Johnson, Retrieved on 2012-01-25
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  • Folksonomies: biography

    Memes

    25 JAN 2012

     "I Refute It Thus"

    After we came out of the church, we stood talking for some time together of Bishop Berkeley's ingenious sophistry to prove the non-existence of matter, and that every thing in the universe is merely ideal. I observed, that though we are satisfied his doctrine is not true, it is impossible to refute it. I never shall forget the alacrity with which Johnson answered, striking his foot with mighty force against a large stone, till he rebounded from it, 'I refute it thus.'
    Folksonomies: solipsism
    Folksonomies: solipsism
      1  notes

    An amusing anecdote about disproving solipsism and the idea that nothing really exists.

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